Vacuum controlled emergency brake operating device



, May 2i, 1939. H4 HUBBELL. JR 255290 VACUUM CONTROLLED EMERGENCY BRAKEVOPERATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 50, 1956 ATTORNEY.: I

Patented May 2, 1939 l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE VACUUM CONTROLLED EMERGENCY BRAKE OPERATING DEVICE Harvey Hubbell, Jr., Bridgeport, Conn. Application January 30, 1936, Serial No. 61.500

10 Claims. (Cl. 188-152) This invention relates to new and useful imfull lines in Fig. 1 show this lever in the position provements in vehicle braking mechanism and occupied by it when the vehicle emergency or has particular relation to a vacuum controlled parkingbrakes are released, and the dotted lines emergency or parking brake operating device. Show the lever in a position as when these brakes 5 An object of the invention is to provide means are applied. Thus it will be understood that the 5 whereby the hand or parking brake of an autolever I6 is the usual hand or parking brake lever mobile may be either or both applied and reof an automobile and that it is swung about its leased Without any particular manual effort. pivot I'l to apply and release the vehicle parking Another object is to provide a simple and reor emergency brake as is usually the case.

10 liable means for either applying or releasing the This parking lever is used with the usual service hand brake of an automobile. operating mechanism of the brakes such as the Other objects and advantages will become apusual foot pedal 6, this pedal 6 and lever I6 beparent from a consideration of the following de ing connected to the brakes in any of the usual tailed description taken in connection with the manners to permit application of the brakes by accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a either lever independently of the other. Thus 15 satisfactory embodiment of the invention. Howrod I0 may be pivotally connected to an arm I0a "ever, it is to be understood that the invention is on a shaft on whichl is also connected an arm 8 not limited to the details disclosed but includes to which is connected a rod 6a from pedal 6. all such variations and modifications as fall with- From Illa may lead a rod or cable 9 for operating in the spirit of the invention and the scope of the the brakes. Rods IIJ and 6a. may be connected to appended claims. their respective arms Illa. and 8 by a lost motion In the drawing: connection such as a pin in slots IIlb and Bb to Fig. 1 is an elevational view with parts broken permit operation of the' brakes by either the pedal away and showing a hand brake operating means 6 or lever I6 independently of the other. constructed according to the present invention; Associated with the lever I6 is a stationary rack u Fig. 2 is a detail elevational view showing the I8 having the rack teeth I9 as usual, and pivotoperation of a pawl or catch employed; ally mounted on the lever is a pawl 20 having a Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a valve casing tooth or branch 2| adapted to enter any one of employed; the teeth of the rack I8 so as to hold the lever, Fig. 4 is a similar view of a disc valve removed and through the lever the brake rod I0, in any from the casing; and adjusted or applied position. A bar 22 on the lever Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing a foot pedal I6 has its lower end connected with the pawl 20, associated with the hand lever for service for and a hand piece 23 on the upper end of such operation of the brakes. bar is adapted to be squeezed toward the lever Referring in detail to the drawing at I0 is against the action of a spring 24 so as to rock the 'a5 shown a brake rod Aadapted to be shifted longipawl about its pivot and carry its tooth 2I out tudinally rst in one direction and then in the from engagement with a tooth of the rack I8. other to apply and release the vehicle emergency The normal tendency of the spring 24 is to shift or parking brakes (not shown) and which on the bar 22 so as to keep the pawl in position with some cars are the service brakes and on others its tooth in engagement with one of theteeth of o are brakes separate from the service brakes. Sethe rack. cured to rod I0 by a pivot or bolt Il is a second A relatively heavy coil spring 25 has one end rod or a link I2 having an end extending into a connected to the bolt II or to some other part cylinder I3 and therein carrying or being attached movable with the rod Ill, and this spring is conto a piston I4. The piston is adapted to be restantly tending to shift the rod and the hand lever 5 ciprocated in the cylinder as will later be d ein a direction to release the vehicle parking scribed, and about that portion of the link I2 brakes. The outer end of the spring is secured to which will be moved into 4and out of the cylinder a fixed part as the pin 26. When the lever is in there is arranged a covering or collapsible boot I5 the dotted line position with the brakes applied of leather, rubber or other suitable flexible the pawl 20 engaging in one of the teeth of the 50 material. rack serves to secure or lock the brakes in applied The usual hand lever I6 is pivotally mounted position against the action of the spring 25 and intermediate its ends at Il and the lower end other springs of 'the brakes tending to release portion of the lever is connected to shift the rod them, and when the piece 23 is rocked to release.

I0 asby being connected with the pivot II. The the pawl from the rack the said spring together u with the other springs of the brake will act to shift the rod III and the lever I6 and release the vehicle brakes.

Carried by the lever IIi below but adjacent. its pivot is an arm 21 on which is mounted a cylinder or casing 28 into whichextends a rod 29, within the cylinder connected with a piston or diaphragm 28a. The outer end of rod 29 is connected with an extension 30 of the pawl 20 and it will be clear that movement may be imparted to the pawl through the said rod 29.

A valve generally designated 3| is conveniently mounted on the automobile dash, or steering wheel or steering wheel column, or the valve may be otherwise mounted as desired or found most convenient. The valve includes a casing 32 within winch is turnable a valve disc 33 mounted as by a pivot 34 and adapted to be shifted as by a small hand piece 35. Casing 32 has three openings 36, 31 and 38 while the disc 33 has an elongated recess 39 and two bleed openings 40 and 4I. Connected with the opening 36 is a pipe 42 from which a tube 43 extends and is connected with the suction side of an automobile engine (not shown) as by being connected with the intake manifold of the engine, or a tank between the valve and the intake manifold in which a vacuum or reduced pressure less than atmospheric is maintained.

A second pipe 44 through a tube 45 and a nipple 46 is connected by a passage through an enlargement 41 with the interior of the cylinder I3. The size of the passage through the enlargement 41 may be regulated by adjusting a screw valve 48 provided for that purpose.` Connected with the opening 38 is one end of a pipe 49 which at its other end is connected with the interior of the cylinder or casing 28 below the piston or diaphragm 28a. This cylinder has air inlet openings 50 in one wall above the diaphragm and the cylinder I3 has an air inlet opening 5I in its forward wall` Preferably on and oE" designations are associated with the hand piece 35 of the valve 3| as shown.

Some people, .particularly some Women, have trouble releasing the hand brake of an automobile, and the present invention provides means for overcoming such diillculties. With the apparatus here disclosed the parking brakes may be applied and released by operating the lever I6 by hand in the usual manner. Also the brakes may be applied and released without the operator touching such lever. 'I'his last is accomplished by suction operated means on proper manipulation of the valve 3I as will now be described. Suction operation is preferred, the device being operated by diiferential pressures as will be understood.

The recess 39 in the valve disc is of such length that when the handle 35 is in the off position as shown in Fig. 1 the openings 36 and 38 are in communication through said recess. Therefore a suction from the engine, or vacuum supply tank, through the tube 43 will be communicated to the cylinder 28 through the pipe 49 and the piston or diaphragm in said cylinder will be drawn downwardly moving the rod 29 downwardly to rock the pawl 20 about its pivot so as to shift its tooth 2'I out from engagement with a tooth of the rack Ii (see Fig. 2). When this has been accomplished the spring 25 and other springs of the brakes will shift the parts to their normal positions releasing the vehicle brakes. When the valve disc is in this last described position its bleed opening 48 is over the pipe opening 31 so that air is admitted to the cylinder I3 through the passage in the enlargement 41 making it possible for the spring 25 (or other brake'springs) to do its work. As the spring 25 so acts the piston IA. in the cylinder I3 functions as a dash pot the passage controlled by valve 48 being a restricted passage.

When the valve handle is shifted to the on position the recess 39 places the openings 36 and 31 in communication and the suction from the engine is applied to the interior of the cylinder I 3 through the passage in the enlargement 41. As the air is exhausted from the cylinder at one side of the piston I4 the air entering throughrthe inlet or opening I forces the piston toward the left in Fig. 1 so that the brake rod I0 is shifted in a direction to apply the vehicle brakes. While the valve disc is in this last mentioned position its bleed opening 4I is over the opening 38 leading through the pipe 49 to the cylinder 28 so that air will be admitted to that cylinder at the under side of the piston or diaphragm therein whereby the pawl is free to engage the teeth of the rack I8 and lock c-r secure the lever and thus the brake rod II) in whatever position they are moved by the suction applied to the piston I4.

To again release the brakes the handle 35 is shifted to off position and the suction applied to the cylinder 28 so as to rock the pawl away from the teeth of the rack I8 whereupon the spring 25 and brake springs will act as before described.

The cylinder I3 may be mountedI on vany stationary part of the car by any suitable means such as a pivot 52. f

From the foregoing it will be seen that with the present arrangement the parking brake may be applied and released manually in the usual manner by operation of the lever I6 if the power devices fail to function, and such brake may be applied and released without effort by proper manipulation of the valve 3I.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

l. In an automobile emergency or parking brake operating mechanism, suction operated means for moving the said brakes to applied p0- sitions, a hand operated lever for also applying the brakes, a catch to secure said brakes in applied positions, means tending to move the catch to brake holding position, means to move said brakes to released positions on release of said catch, suction operated. means to release said catch, hand operated means on said lever for releasing the catch, and a manually operated valve for controlling both said suction means.

2, In an automobile emergency or parking brake operating means, a hand operated lever for applying the brakes, power operated means for moving the said brakes to applied position, a catch operable to secure said brakes in applied position, means normally retaining said catch in brake securing position, hand operated means on the lever for releasing the cath, power operated means to move said catch to release the brakes, and manually operated control means for both said power means and located in the automobile adjacent said lever.

3. In an automobile emergency or parking brake operating mechanism, a hand operated lever for applying the brakes, power operated means for moving the said brakes to applied position, pawl and rack means for holding said pawl and rack in engagement, hand operated means on the lever to release the pawl, means to move saidbrakes to released position on re# lease of said pawl, power operated means to release said pawl, and manual means for controlling both the power means and located adjacent the lever in position to betoperated by the operator of the lever.

4. In combination with an automobile emergency or parking brake, means including a brake rod, a hand lever located adjacent the drivers position for shifting said rod to apply the said brakes, power means to. move said rod to apply said brakes, a catch to hold said rod in position with the brakes applied, means normally retaining said catch in holding position, means on said lever manually operable to release said catch, power means operable to release said catch, and manually operable means to'control both the power means and located adjacent the lever in position to be operated by the operator of the lever.

5. In an automobile, an emergency or parking brake operating mechanism operable to set the brake independently of the service brake operating means, a hand lever located to be operated from the drivers position to move the said emergency or parking brake operating mechanism to applied position, means constantly tending to move said latter brake mechanism to released position, a catch to hold the said mechanism in applied position, power means to release said catch, and a manually operable means to control the power means located adjacent said lever in position to be operated by the operator of the lever.

6. In an automobile, an emergency or-parking brake operating mechanism operable to set the brake independently of the service brake operating means, a lever manually shiftable to apply the said emergency or parking brake operating mechanism and located for operation from the drivers position, a pawl and rack means for holding the lever in position with the said latter mechanism applied, power means for releasing said pawl and rack means to permit of movement of the lever to release the brakes, and manually operable means to control the power means located adjacent said lever to be operated by the operator of the lever.

7. In an automobile, an emergency or parking brake operating mechanism operable to set the brake independently of the service brake operating means, a lever manually shiftable to apply the said emergency or parking brake mechanism and located for operation from the drivers position, a stationary rack associated with said lever, a pawl movable with the lever and adapted brake operating mechanism operable to set the brake independently of the service brake operating means, a lever manually shiftable to apply' the said emergency or parking brake mechanism and located to be operated from the drivers position, a stationary rack associated with said lever, a pawl movable with the lever and adapted to engage with said rack to hold the lever in position with the emergency or parking brake mechanism applied, a suction operated means connected with the pawl, and a manually oper ated valve located adjacent the drivers position and shlftable to a position establishing a connection between said-means and a source of suction whereby to have said means release the pawl from the rack.

9. In combination, a brake rod for operating the emergency or parking brakes of a vehicle, a hand lever connected with said rod for applying the brakes, a piston connected with said rod,

a cylinder within which said piston operates, a

spring normally maintaining said rod in position where the vehicle brakes are released, a Valve shiftable to establish a connection between said cylinder and a source of suction whereby to move the piston and rod to cause application of the brakes, said valve shiftable to admit air to said cylinder to permit the spring to return the vehicle brakes to normal position, adjustable means controlling the admission of air to the cylinder and thereby controlling the rate of movement of the brake rod and piston by said spring, a catch for holding the brakes in the on position, and manually controlled suction operated means for releasing the catch to release the brakes.

10. In an automobile emergency or parking brake operating mechanism, a hand lever for applying the brakes, suction operated means for moving the said brakes to applied position, a catch operable to secure the brakes in applied position, means normally retaining said catch in holding position, hand operated means on the lever for releasing the catch, suction operated means to move the catch to release the brakes. and a single valve controlling the application of suction to both of said means.

HARVEY HUBBELL. Jn.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,156,290. May 2, 1959.

HARVEY HUBBELL, JR.

It is hereby certified' that error appears the printed specification ofthe above nmnbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,' second column, `line 75,' elaim, after the word "holding" insert --said brakes in applied position, means normally holding-q and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the' record of the ease in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed this 27th any of August, A. 1).'19140.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

